Mikhail Ragulin

It gets better: [video=vimeo;99350935] I'm narrowing down what causes the stutter related to huge explosions, so they'll probably be burst fire like this.

And the Handflammpatrone burning it to a crisp: [video=vimeo;99344484] Not the best quality vid's, but they do the job. I'll have another go with burst firing, to try and get a stream of flames, but there were problems with stuttering earlier.

Here's the M9A1-7 lightly toasting a reaper: [video=vimeo;99344483]

Thanks. However, maybe it just got a little more awesome...some might say "flamin' awesome"...show us what you've got, Clinton: 'werfers. With their own sexy new projectile. The top one is disposable, and fits in the backpack, and the second one was used in the 'nam. We've got all your BBQ needs covered. Toasted Caesan? Sure. Crispy Sebillian? No problem.

That, sir, is an inspired idea. I just gave something similar a try, and it works too. Hello flamethrowers! It's so stupidly easy, I'm surprised no-one has done it yet. Here's what I did: bullet type to rocket, impact spectre to robannas (like the 'werfer), fire and smoke chance to 100, radius 1.5 (which is actually the minimum, I tried less but it's always at least this size). Projectile to pulse laser, slowed it down to 800. In the words of The Move, "get the fire brigade, get the fire brigade, see the buildings start to really burn". Sing along, people. One drawback I've found - the impact causes stutter, presumably due to all the flames being created.. This might vary on system to system - but setting it to single shot gets around this somewhat.

Easiest way would be to use keymapping software, and map keys to the mouse wheel.

This is also an ideal chance to re-introduce the cow dissection table, and maybe "anal-probe corner".

Right then, Magnumnauters, update news. Seeing as there is a new vanilla patch (1.07) preparing itself for release, I'm going to hold off on the next M'nauts release until the new patch is on the stable branch, to avoid any unnecessary confusion. Which, as it happens, means that I will have time to do the threatened image standardising. Here's Clint with the breaching selection to show how things are looking - the original/current images are on the left, the artified ones on the right: Zoom in and take a good look, punks. The edges are much more defined (courtesy of a black border), the colours more in keeping with the game, and they're all exhibiting a glorious imperfectness.

Old-style UFO's are a wonderful idea. All design work should be based off an empty biscuit tin.

Yes.

Another useful one to have would be a crashed UFO timer, for how long the crash sites stay on the map. It would open up quite a few possibilities, as discussed in this thread. For example, there's one in gameconfig for how long a landed UFO stays on the ground: <!-- MINIMUM LAND TIME FOR ALIEN MISSIONS --> <minimumMissionsLandTime value="360" comment="The minimum landing time (in minutes) for the alien missions" /> One like this, but a maximum amount of time instead of minimum (or with both, like the the ones the terror missions use), would be swell.

Great advice, but maybe I should have stuck to it. First turn, got everyone behind cover (of sorts). The debris is where a soldier was, got lazy and left him in an adjacent square. Nade pops over the hedge, kaboom. I told me so.

Yeah, I've tried not to base it purely on size of cartridge - particularly when two are the same-ish size, which is when energy (and maybe velocity) is the defining factor. But the general rule is bigger = more power, except in really close ones like the .303 and .30-06 - then it's almost like flipping a coin. But, let's face it, they're both gonna hurt. The next release (comp. with 1.06) would be quicker if I stopped playing it. Hopefully that's a sign that it's pretty good. I'd say tomorrow evening at the earliest.

It should work with the last two steps that Max said...as long as the images are there. Here's what you need to add a new weapon: - weapons_gc.xml - ground combat entry for weapon - weapons.xml - the equip screen for weapons, most of the variables are unused - ammos.xml - add ammo type - items.xml - add new weapon and ammo - images in weapons\ballistics (or wherever one puts the images/points the game to in weapons.xml) for weapon and ammo - image in gui\weapons - makes the weapon show up in ground combat - image in gui\quickthrowimages - clipped ammo image for the quick reload slot - strings.xml - localises the descriptions That's a simple version for adding a new weapon. I might do a proper one (with pictures) soon. Beaten to the punch!

The only situation where I've seen the aliens lob nades is when the 'nauts are in adjacent tiles. Space them out, then one doesn't eat frag.

The answer, good sir, lies in the question. For progression to work in game, new researched tiers have to provide more power than the previous - or there is no point in doing the research. Now, with AR's being the newest (relatively speaking) line of weapons in the game, it means that there is a lack of variety when it comes to stopping power - their development has been in a period when low-power standardised rounds have dominated gunsmithery. There's only a choice of a few cartridges - 5.45x39mm (and only one weapon from the time period uses this, the 74), the 5.56 nato (of which there are many choices), and the 7.62x39mm (the 47 or any of its clones, bar the vz. 58, which just looked like it). Throw in a couple of exceptions, and we can have the 7.92x33mm Kurz from WW2, and the 7.62x51mm nato (which is more BR territory). So there's the choice of calibres. In this game, I go 5.56 to 7.92 to 7.62R to 7.62N, based on stopping power (energy). In this method, there's no room for the 74. As for the fascination with the 47 - I can't answer that question. There's not been any debate about it previously - can you expand on what you mean?

There's some oddness with alien pathing anyway, they're not avoiding fire even when they do see it - they sometimes plow right into it regardless. The best example has just happened... Down to the last ET on the map, I find him near the bird. I chase him into the UFO (a scout), he runs into the back room, vaults a prop right into a fire. Dies. Mission complete.

Kabill, what was the outcome of giving the aliens incendiary armour? Did you look into much more than to see if it works? I was playing a crashed UFO for the next M'nauts, and I thought "ooo, I could give them incendiary armour", and saw that you've already been there, and I'm in for sloppy seconds. I figure it'll work well, as there aren't any fire weapons in the game, and I have fire dissipating after one turn anyhow. Did they survive all the time, or some of it?

Apparently not. I just checked, and it's only the ballistic sniper and the rocket launcher. And the alien plasma cannon. So only tier one...which smells like a bug.

Thanks. And this also gives me the opportunity to spam out some more update news: Next edition is nearly done. There's just updating the Xenopedia entries and strings for the new/replaced weapons. And a little bit of adjustment for how much alloys each landed UFO yields. Terror missions are in from the start of the game. Not too difficult, as they're only low-level aliens (mainly non-coms, with the occasional guard thrown in...and reapers), but it adds a bit of flavour. These are done by scouts (so the crews aren't that big), until corvettes take over at the same time they do in vanilla. Sebs bring reapers along to most missions now, which is always fun. Difficulty-wise, it's nice - probably on a par with vanilla, but a tiny bit more tricky. It's not too easy, but likewise there also shouldn't be the need to save-scum to progress. And speaking of progress, the research tree has had a bit of a touch-up, involving the combat performance analyses. They're as there are now (1st analysis replaces laser weapons etc), but the requirements are slightly different. One still needs the normal things (e.g. plasma pistol, plasma rifle), but also various autopsies. For example, to get the 1st combat analysis (the old laser tier), one has to have performed an Andron dis-assembly. Which means more fun, as one is left to fight the Androns for a while with the first tier weapons - only then can the combat analysts decide we need bigger guns, if you see what I mean. For the 2nd analysis, the medium drone is needed, and for the last, a wraith. This way, the technology is slightly behind at times, which lends to the desperation/inferiority feeling that the game pervades.

And max effective range is indicated by the aim line changing colour from green to yellow...I think.

They do lose power, with the exception of the sniper rifle and rocket launcher. Their damage isn't scaled.

Yeah, for kills in the battlescape, there's a method here - post #14.

Thanks. If you get around to it, something in an xml like "backpack size x = 5", "backpack size y = 5", etc. would be good, as at the moment the UI can be visually changed but the original size of the containers is still present, even though it's not represented on screen.

What's the status of my earlier requests - exporting the inventory container size and a drop-down soldier-role menu in the barracks screen - are they things that you're interested in doing, or are they not possible/not going to be included?